What Old Testament scriptures connect to the events in Matthew 27:40? Scripture Focus Matthew 27:40 — “and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!’ ” Old Testament Echoes of Mockery and Scorn • Psalm 22:6-8 — “All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: ‘He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD deliver him…’ ” • Psalm 109:25 — “I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.” • Lamentations 2:15 — “All who pass your way clap their hands at you; they hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem…” • Psalm 69:7, 19-20 — “Because for Your sake I have borne reproach… You know my reproach and my shame… reproach has broken my heart.” • Isaiah 53:3-4 — “He was despised and rejected by men… surely He took on our griefs…” These texts prepare us for the ridicule Jesus receives on the cross: head-shaking, sneering, and the taunt that God should rescue the righteous sufferer if He truly delights in him. The Son of God Theme • Psalm 2:7 — “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.” • 2 Samuel 7:14 — “I will be his Father, and he will be My son.” • Isaiah 9:6 — “For unto us a Child is born… and He will be called… Mighty God.” The mockers challenge, “If You are the Son of God…,” unwittingly quoting language rooted in royal-Messianic promises. Scripture has already affirmed His divine sonship long before Calvary. Temple and Three-Day Motif • Zechariah 6:12-13 — “Here is a Man whose name is the Branch… He will build the temple of the LORD.” • Hosea 6:2 — “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up…” Though the crowd twists Jesus’ words, the prophetic backdrop links Messiah with temple-building and third-day restoration. Zechariah pictures the Branch both building God’s house and bearing royal honor—a vivid foreshadowing of Jesus, whose resurrection (“third day”) proves Him the true, living Temple. Key Connections to Notice • The physical gestures (shaking heads) and verbal jabs correspond precisely to Psalm 22, underscoring fulfilled prophecy. • The taunt “Let God rescue Him” echoes Psalm 22:8, spotlighting the irony: their mockery becomes the very proof that Scripture is being accomplished. • Addressing Him as “Son of God” links directly to Psalm 2’s enthronement Psalm, showing the cross as the pathway to His kingship. • Reference to destroying and rebuilding the temple threads together Zechariah’s promise of a Messianic builder and Hosea’s “third-day” revival, hinting at resurrection triumph. Takeaway Points • Every sneer and insult in Matthew 27:40 was foreseen by the Spirit centuries earlier. • Mockers meant to disprove Jesus’ claims; instead, they verified them by echoing prophetic lines. • The cross, rather than disproving His sonship or authority over the temple, fulfills God’s long-revealed plan—culminating in a risen Savior who truly is the Son and the everlasting Temple. |
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